LISBON - Portugal - page 17

ida da Liberdade, Praça dos Restauradores, Rossio, and Praça do Comércio. If coming
from the east over the Vasco da Gama Bridge and heading for the airport, take the first
exit after the bridge.
If you're returning in your car in Lisbon, consider dropping it at the airport (rental-car
turn-in clearly signposted, no extra expense to drop it here, very helpful TI open late) and
riding a sweat-free taxi for €10 to your hotel. Or, if you must drive into town, consider
hiring a taxi and following it to your hotel.
There are many safe underground pay parking lots in Lisbon (follow blue P signs), but
they discourage anything but short stays by getting more expensive by the hour. They can
cost €40 per day (at the most central Praça dos Restauradores).
Helpful Hints
TheftAlert: Lisbon has piles of people doing illegal business on the street. While the city
is generally safe, if you're looking for trouble—especially after dark—you may find
it. Pickpockets (mostly Romanian) target tourists on the trolleys (especially #12E,
#15E, and #28E) and on the Metro. Enjoy the sightseeing, but also be aware of your
surroundings—wear your money belt and keep your pack zipped up. Many thieves
pose as tourists by wearing cameras and toting maps. Be on guard whenever you're
in a crush of people, or jostled as you enter or leave a tram or bus.
PedestrianWarning: Sidewalks can be narrow in certain neighborhoods, and drivers are
daring; cross the street with care. Warnings at crosswalks alert pedestrians to “stop to
look and to be seen” and graphically show the consequences of ignoring this advice.
Calendar Concerns: Tuesdays and Saturdays are flea- and food-market days in the Al-
fama's Campo de Santa Clara. National museums are free on Sunday (all day or until
14:00) and closed all day Monday. Bullfights take place irregularly throughout the
summer, mainly on Thursdays (see here ) .
Laundry: Drop off clothes at centrally located 5àSec Lavandaria (€7.50/kilo, same-day
wash-and-dry service, Mon-Fri 8:00-20:00, Sat and Sun 10:00-20:00, near Baixa-
Chiado Metro stop at Rua do Crucifixo 99, tel. [phone]). Hostels and shopping
malls generally have laundry services, or your hotelier can recommend a place
nearby.
InternetAccess: Each downtown square has an Internet café: Rossio ( PTComunicações,
corner nearest Rossio Station, daily 9:00-21:00, 25 terminals, €1.50/30 minutes, €2/
unlimited access) and Praça da Figueira (Western Union) are particularly good.
There are many cheap hole-in-the-wall shops catering to immigrants' need for cheap
Internet access.
Post Office and Telephones: The post offices (correios) on Praça do Comércio (Mon-
Fri only) and at Praça dos Restauradores 58 are modern and user-friendly (Mon-